Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1887-09-24
MENTAL LABOR.
THE GROUNDS TAKEN BY
SOME SUPERSTlTlOUS.
A Philadelphia Writer'S Theory il
Exploded - All Superstition
Dangerous Mental Work
Facilitated by Many
Discoveries.
BY DIR. A. DOUAI.

In the last issue of the WORK
MEMS ADVOCATE W. II. Benson, of
Philadelphia, asks the question:
"And does he (Carl Mark not
lose sight of the fact that the labor
of some men is worth ten, or u hun
dred, or a thousand times as much
as the labor of others?"
Mr.. Benson seems to have here in
view mental labor, and to entertain
a very exalted idea of mental work
in general. Now, we do not belong
to those who value mental activity
slightly; on the contrary, we like to
see it appreciated and employed by
every workingman, and we 60 so far
as to- maintain that every worker
may turn out a self-thinker and a
learned person, and that every one
should be both a worker with mind
ard body.
But to hold that the labor of some
men is worth hundred, or a thou
sand times as much as the labor of
others, touches on superstition,
and all superstition IS dangerous,
We ask Mr.. Benson: Would YOU
consider the workman's labor, who,
with the aid Of ingenious machines,
produces u hundred or thousand
times as much valuable merchan-
disc, worth hundred or thousand
times as much as the work of his an
cestor, who had very simple tools
only? You certainly would not, for
he had not himself invented, i'm
proved and manufactured those ma
chimes. On the contrary, you would
grant that a very stupid laborcr may
with the aid of the machines do q
much more valuable work than the
most sklllful and many-sid d work
man of old times.
Just for the same reason YOU
ought to beware of overestimating
mental work. This latter kind Of
work has been facilitated by so many
inventions and discoveries that now
adays any number of learned men
may be educated on short notice
(wlthln a very few years. into work
ers on difficult mental tasks. II a
hundred thousand astronomers, or
navigators, or machine constructors,
or artists were needed-they would
be forthcoming within few years,
provided the necessary funds of
money be supplied. Inventions may
nowadays be made to order, the
greatest works Of art may be infinite
ly multiplied, scientific wonders
may be performed, if the money and
the encouragement be furnished.
There is even now much more
mental capacity in existence than
can be employed, and some great
talents, fully educated, can earn no
livelihood while hod- d-carriers may be
able to do it. Certainly, there have
been few hundred men in the past
whose mental work was worth
more than that of millions of
common men. But even these were
by no means prodigies; they stood
upon the shoulders of thinking pre-
decessors and teachers, they entered
upon an inheritance of thought and
discoveries collected during ages.
The most wonderful of all inven-
tlons is certainly the human Ian
guage, whose origin has long baflled
all attempts at explaining. Yet we
now know beyond doubt how that
wonderful means of propagating i'm
mortal ideas and beauties forever
has become gradual and natural
growth.
Mental excellence was rare because
it required two rare prerequisites,
favorable opportunities for develop
ment, and firm and assiduous will
power directed On always the same
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